National Chairman of the governing National Democratic Congress (NDC), Johnson Asiedu Nketiah, has urged journalists in the Bono Region to closely monitor public projects and keep detailed records to help hold government officials accountable.
He said journalists must not only report on government projects when they are announced but should follow them through to completion and document whether public funds are being used as intended.
Mr Asiedu Nketiah made the call at the 4th Bono Regional Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) Awards in Sunyani on September 19, held under the theme, “Ethics, Integrity and Impactful Journalism.”
According to him, professional journalism has become increasingly important at a time when social media, political propaganda and artificial intelligence are making it easier for false information to spread.
“Somebody still has to establish what actually happened, and that responsibility makes professional journalism more important,” he said.
He challenged journalists in the region to pay particular attention to the billions of cedis being invested in road and other infrastructure projects.
He urged them to establish the cost of each project, the contractor responsible, the terms of the contract and the expected completion date, before returning to assess the progress of the work.
“Five years from now, it should be possible for somebody to go into the archives of the media in Bono and reconstruct what happened to the major development commitments being made today,” he said.
Mr Asiedu Nketiah also said government officials, including members of his own party, should be prepared to face scrutiny from the media.
“I say this as National Chairman of the governing National Democratic Congress: this government should expect scrutiny. Ministers should answer legitimate questions. Public expenditure should be examined,” he stated.
He further urged politicians not to interpret difficult questions from journalists as hostility, saying critical journalism can sometimes draw attention to concerns that political leaders may not hear from people around them.
The NDC Chairman also expressed concern about the financial sustainability of the media and urged journalists to build respectable careers without becoming financially dependent on politicians or institutions they cover.
Congratulating the award winners, he acknowledged the role of professional recognition in advancing journalists’ careers but stressed that a reputation built on accuracy and integrity would have a more lasting value.
